This photograph was taken at Glen Varagill, south of Portree on Skye. A helicopter is lifting hydro poles on site for the new main line running through the island. The Hydro Board hires helicopters regularly to move materials and machinery to the more inaccessible sites. Already a good deal of material has been taken to site to create the base for stabilizing the hydro poles when in position. This main line runs from Waternish in the north of Skye to Kylerhea in the south, connecting with undercables to the Western Isles and the mainland.

The North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board was established under the Hydro-Electric Development (Scotland) Act 1943. Thomas Johnston presented the Act in the House of Commons, declaring that by harnessing 'the great latent power of the region' it would assist in remedying the ills that affected the Highlands. Johnston told the Commons that 'industries, whether owned nationally or privately, will be and ought to be, attracted to locations in the Highlands, as a result of this measure'.

Ordinary consumers would have priority, then the anticipated large power users, and any surplus energy would be sold to the national grid. Profits from these sales would help reduce distribution costs to more remote areas, and assist in carrying out measures for the economic development and social improvement of the Highlands. This famous social clause gave recognition that the Hydro Board was envisaged as an instrument for the rehabilitation of northern Scotland, not just an organization to provide electricity.

The output from the power station at Loch Sloy, west of Loch Lomond, was intended to meet the demand for central and western Scotland. The surplus energy produced here would be used to subsidise the Morar and Lochalsh projects, it being unlikely these smaller schemes could pay their way. The cost of construction of these three projects was estimated at £4,600,000.

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Helicopter transporting hydro pole to site

INVERNESS: Portree

1990s

hydro-electric; helicopters; Glen Varagill; Western Isles; cables

Skye and Lochalsh Archive Centre

William J Ramsay Archive

This photograph was taken at Glen Varagill, south of Portree on Skye. A helicopter is lifting hydro poles on site for the new main line running through the island. The Hydro Board hires helicopters regularly to move materials and machinery to the more inaccessible sites. Already a good deal of material has been taken to site to create the base for stabilizing the hydro poles when in position. This main line runs from Waternish in the north of Skye to Kylerhea in the south, connecting with undercables to the Western Isles and the mainland.<br />
<br />
The North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board was established under the Hydro-Electric Development (Scotland) Act 1943. Thomas Johnston presented the Act in the House of Commons, declaring that by harnessing 'the great latent power of the region' it would assist in remedying the ills that affected the Highlands. Johnston told the Commons that 'industries, whether owned nationally or privately, will be and ought to be, attracted to locations in the Highlands, as a result of this measure'. <br />
<br />
Ordinary consumers would have priority, then the anticipated large power users, and any surplus energy would be sold to the national grid. Profits from these sales would help reduce distribution costs to more remote areas, and assist in carrying out measures for the economic development and social improvement of the Highlands. This famous social clause gave recognition that the Hydro Board was envisaged as an instrument for the rehabilitation of northern Scotland, not just an organization to provide electricity. <br />
<br />
The output from the power station at Loch Sloy, west of Loch Lomond, was intended to meet the demand for central and western Scotland. The surplus energy produced here would be used to subsidise the Morar and Lochalsh projects, it being unlikely these smaller schemes could pay their way. The cost of construction of these three projects was estimated at £4,600,000. <br />
<br />
<br />
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